Monster
by Heachan
Summary: Former State Alchemist Winston Ferguson escapes confinement and has his eyes set on those responsible for his capture.  Sequel to Exam Lab 32.  Another story where I get to pick on Ed and Al.  It's just too much fun.
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes-this is a sequel, however I wanted it to be able to stand on it's own. So you are welcomed to read Exam lab 32, however you don't have to if you don't want to.

Even though it was coming up on midnight, the progressive city of Rush Valley was as restless as ever. Vendors were still open, hasty to finish any last orders before the weekend. Although even as the end of the week came, the next day would be just as busy. In this city so devoted to automail, there wasn't really ever time for anything but work.

It was no different for one of the youngest mechanics in the city, even when she had company. Winry Rockbell continued dutifully with the metal arm she was finishing. She had been working on this particular job for several days and was glad it was finally coming to an end.

"Winry?" She heard the hollow voice from behind her and turned away from her work. "Aren't you going to go to sleep soon?"  
She removed the screwdriver from her mouth before replying.

"Yeah, just wanted to finish this up first." Normally the inanimate suit of armor wouldn't make for good conversation, however this particular armor was special as it moved freely over to her. Alphonse' soulful eyes stared down at the arm she was working on. "Looks a lot like Brother's." She nodded back with a smile. Even if Alphonse couldn't show emotion in his empty form, she could tell by his tone that he was worried.

"So where'd you go?" Her attention went back to the task at hand.

"Oh just around town some. It seems that no one around here sleeps really."

"No not really. Just too much to do." There was an odd silence between them before she brought up something that had been nagging her ever since her two childhood friends had arrived. "So Al, why did you two come here?" He straitghtened up some before she turned back to him, a deep frown forming on her lips.

"I...I can't tell you. I'm sorry." He brought his hand behind his helmet out of habit and dropped his gaze to the floor.

"This is the first time the two of you have visited me without Ed needing any maintenance. It makes me think something bad is going on." she narrowed her eyes at him. It was clear she was more then suspicious.

"Why can't you believe that we just wanted to see you? That nothings' wrong?" Winry shook her head, a smile breaking across her face.

"Cause that's never the case with you. So you gonna tell me or not?"

"Sorry Winry, but it's nothing for you to worry about." The blond mechanic let out a tired sigh before standing and stretching her arms over her head.

"You say it's nothing, then why is Ed in such a fowl mood." She looked over to the stairway that went up to her small apartment right above the shop. Alphonse released a vocal sigh as well. Of course his older brother could get pretty mouthy and childish over some things, however this was beyond his normal anger. This time he was quiet and it didn't take Winry long to figure something was up. After not eating much of his dinner Edward had gone upstairs, claiming he wanted some time to think.

"You know how he gets. I'm sure he's calmed down by now." Hoping she wouldn't push any more, he headed for the stairs before she had the chance. "I'll go check on him, he's probably sleeping." Winry knew she was not going to get a straight answer, not even from Alphonse. Stretching again, she removed the scarf from her head. There was a sudden noise of Al's armored steps hurrying back down to her. She noticed the worry had returned to his eyes as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"He's not up there."

oOoOo

~Earlier that week~

"You have to leave Central, immediately." These were not the words Edward expected to hear first thing when he entered Colonel Mustang's office. Normally there would be an assignment or research that needed his attention elsewhere but this time there was no reason.

"Sorry, come again?" The teen closed the door and shuffled over in front of his superior's desk. The Colonel's posture was strained as he sat up in what looked like an uncomfortable position. Not like his usual laid back demeanor. Ed tilted his head some, waiting for further explanation.

"I mean it, this is serious. It's for Alphonse and your safety." The younger alchemist leaned forward, enjoying the slight elevation he had.

"Sure it's not just an excuse to get me out of your hair for awhile?" Mustang should have expected sarcasm back as he grit his teeth and balled his fists.

"Dammit Ed, why can't you just take my advice." Edward rocked back on his heels some, surprised that he had gotten under the Flame Alchemist's skin so easily. Usually this would go on back and forth for awhile. Roy dropped his tone slightly above a whisper. "It's Ferguson, he escaped from jail." Ed's eyes went wide from this new information.

"But how is that possible? He's been locked up for almost a year now. How'd he get out?" His voice grew louder and the Colonel motioned for him to keep it down.

"Someone from the inside helped him get out. While I don't know if he stayed in Central or what his plans are, I think it would be best for you and Al to get out of here as soon as possible. And don't tell anyone." Ferguson was a very skilled Alchemist however he was also very dangerous, not concerned with human life when it came to his work. And since Ed and Al had not only escaped from him, they were also the ones responsible for destroying his lab as well as helping apprehend him. Above all that, he had a sick obsession with human transmutation and the Elric brothers. There was no telling how far he'd go to get to them. Edward leaned forward again on the desk for support as he tried to think of a plan.

"But he doesn't even have a lab or anything left. Maybe he'll just go into hiding and leave us alone."

"Do you really think that's gonna happen? If you recall last time, he didn't stop even after he was in custody." The situation was still very fresh in Ed's mind, even if some time had passed.

"Whereever you go, don't tell me. Don't tell anyone. It's better to just leave. Contact me two weeks from now and I'll be able to give you an update on the case. No one should notice you missing since you and Al are always going off somewhere." Ed nodded back, worry written all over his features.

"Thanks, I appreciate the help." With that, he dissapeared from the office.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's notes-Gee great, no reviews yet, just story alerts. ::sigh:: -_-

"We're going to visit teacher? Really?" Alphonse asked as he stood in the doorway. Edward hadn't told him anything yet about the meeting with the Colonel or Ferguson. He hastily packed their suitcase as he nodded back quietly. "What brought this on? Don't you need to stay here?" As much as Ed wanted to tell Al what was really going on or act like everything was fine he was too preoccupied at the moment.

"We just need to go, alright? I'll tell you more once we're on our way there." It wasn't like Ed to act this way. Most of the time anything Ed knew about, Al knew too. Or the older Elric would try to protect his brother by pretending everything was fine. But this was different and Alphonse didn't know how to react.

"Uh, okay," he quietly answered and timidly took a step back. He wondered if Ed was angry with him or if he'd said something he wasn't suppose to. Edward noticed the armor's actions and forced a small grin on his face.

"Al, it's nothing you did, we could use some time off, right?"

"Yeah. Can I help at all?" Edward closed the suitcase and picked it up.

"No, I've got it. Come on, let's go."

oOoOo

"Winry, we have to find him! He wouldn't just run off like this." They were looking around the small apartment only to conclude Edward was not there.

"Ed does crazy things like this all the time, Al. I'm sure he'll come back when he wants to." The suit of armor was not so convinced as he clutched his helmet with both hands, as though he was keeping it on.

"No, it's not safe right now. What if they figured out we're here?"

"Al, you're not making any sense. If who figures out you're here? Are you talking about the military?" Al tried to calm down, trying to think rationally.

"Well sort of. It's kind of a long story." The mechanic brought her arms around herself and dropped her gaze to the floor.

"So the two of you really are in trouble aren't you?"

"We came here to hide for awhile. No one is suppose to know where we went. Not even the military." Al moved over across the room, noticing a window was broken. "Looks like this is how they got in."

"Who's they? Who's after you?"

"We'll tell you whatever you want to know, but first we really need to look for Brother." As much as she wanted to know more, she agreed that finding Ed came first.

oOoOo

The train station was pretty much empty at this time of the evening. The last train heading South for the day was leaving in fifteen minutes. Alphonse stood on the platform several feet from his older brother as he purchased their tickets. Staring up at the darkening sky he didn't noticed the girl walking towards him. She must not have seen him either as she bumped into him, dropping her suitcase. Al turned when he heard her cry out in surprise.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." The younger Elric brother knelt down to help her with her suitcase.

"No, it's okay. I wasn't looking where I was going." She smiled up at him, sparkling green eyes and light brown hair. She looked to be a couple years older then Ed. As she readjusted her glasses she rose to her feet, brushing her skirt off. "So are you headed South too?"

"Yes, down to Dublith."

"Really? That's where I'm from."

"So you're going home?" She nodded back as he handed her back her suitcase. She tilted her head some, finally noticing his appearance.

"Out of curiosity, why are you wearing that armor? Isn't it heavy?" Edward turned to see his brother standing there, speaking with the stranger and hurried over. Before he could answer her, Ed was calling for him to hurry up. With a quiet bow, he said goodbye to the girl and sprinted over to Ed.

"What were you talking to her about?" His older brother was always so suspicious about people. He moved to get on the train, hearing the first whistle.

"She lives in Dublith," Al's explanation cause Edward to turn around so quickly he almost hit himself in the face with his braid.

"You told her where we were going?" He narrowed his eyes up at the armor.

"It was just small talk, what's the big deal?" It was obvious Ed was angry but he still hadn't told Alphonse what was going on and Al was beginning to loose his patience. Letting out a worn out sigh, Ed turned back once they were on the train.

"Just trust me on this, we can't talk to anyone."

The second whistle blew and the train started moving. Quietly the girl from the platform slipped into the control room to make a phone call. Although she was not suppose to be in there, she seemed unconcerned about getting caught.

"Hey it's me," she spoke into the receiver.

"Are you on the train with the Elrics," The raspy voice crackled over the line.

"Yes, they're heading to Dublith." There was a dark laugh on the other end.

"How convenient. Can you get to them now?"

"There's too many people on the train. It's okay, they don't suspect anything."

"Just keep an eye on them, it's easy to underestimate them both. But when you do get the chance make sure not to injure either one of them. I want them both in one piece."

"I understand."


	3. Chapter 3

His head was throbbing when he finally woke up. It was difficult to make out his surroundings as he tried to focus more. There was definitely the sound of tracks below and every so often he would be rocked abruptly. Knowing that he was on his way somewhere away from his younger brother caused the Fullmetal Alchemist to start panicking. He tried to move, thrashing as much as he was able to but to no avail.

_'What the hell?'_ He went to sit up only to hit his head on a low wooden ceiling. It took him another minute or so to realize he was gagged. Getting a better look around, he also noticed he was trapped in a crate._ 'What am I? Baggage!'_ Bumping his head only made it ache more. His wrists felt restrained and he tried to see why. Sure enough, his hands were trapped in a wooden shackle that kept his palms just far enough from each other so he couldn't clap. _'Now they're just mocking me.'_ It was clear who was behind this, there was no doubt in his mind. Ferguson would easily know how he did alchemy. Despite the desperation of the situation, Ed couldn't help but wonder if Al was captured as well. And if so, was Winry taken too. Unable to do anything else in his current state, he settled some against the soft material underneath him. He wouldn't know anything till he got out of here and he hated having to wait.

oOoOo

"So that's what's going on." Ed leaned back on his seat, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest. Al didn't know what to say. Of all the possibilities he's already thought about, this was the last thing he expected.

"Then if we're not going to Teacher's, where are we going?" Edward shifted some in his seat and turned his gaze towards the window.

"Rush Valley is our best bet. If for some reason anyone is onto us, it would be easier to just get off there."

"Do you think Winry will be okay with us just showing up out of the blue?"

"Doesn't really matter what she thinks. As much as I don't want to involve her in this, we don't have many options here." Alphonse nodded, agreeing with Ed. The less she knew the less likely she'd be in danger so whenever they did involve her, it was difficult to keep her out of the loop. It didn't help that she was always worried about them anyway and couldn't help but ask them a thousand questions. It made it difficult especially for the younger Elric who felt he was lying to one of his best friends. She only worried though because she cared. The two of them remained quiet until the train came to the only stop between Central and Dublith. Alphonse took their suitcase as they exited the train quickly, trying not to draw much attention to themselves. Rush Valley seemed as busy as ever as they made their way through the crowd.

"How are these many people even still up? It's gotta be pretty late, right," Alphonse accidentally kept bumping into people.

"We've been here twice now, haven't you figured out people here are a little crazy." Edward's tone was dry and he seemed to be dreading their predicament all the more. He definitely was not looking forward to not explaining what was going on to Winry. She was more then likely going to nag him to death as always, even if this trip didn't involve any repairs. Normally that would be a reason to for her to be happy but it would just make their presence in town all the more suspicious to her. The automail mechanic was a little too sharp for her own good sometimes. The last incident she was involved in happened in Central several weeks ago when they were chasing Scar. She shouldn't have been there and it just made things more difficult, especially for Ed.

oOoOo

Despite the roaring sound of the drill, the blond mechanic still managed to hear the knock on the door of the shop. Turning off her machine, she reluctantly got up from her work. Rubbing her lower back, she let out a groan as she walked over to the entrance.

"Sitting for so long really is not good for my health." Looking through the peep hole, she could mostly make out Al's armor. Quickly yanking the door open, she greeted her two friends with a smile. "Hey guys. Didn't expect you to drop in." She moved out of their way as Ed shuffled in quietly and Al ducked inside, avoiding knocking his helmet off. As Winry closed the door behind them, something occurred to her. "So what brings you into town," her tone sounded less pleasant now as she pulled her wrench from her side. "You didn't break anything, _**did you**_?" She turned to Ed, weapon raised above her head. Edward backed up against his younger brother in a panic.

"What! No, I didn't do anything, I swear!" Despite his answer, she pulled his sleeve up to inspect his right arm. Sure enough he was telling the truth as everything looked alright. Releasing his wrist, she lowered her wrench but continued to look at the two of them suspiciously.

"If you're not here for that, then what? Don't you need to be in Central?"

"We were just told to take some time off, that's all," Ed let out a sigh as he rolled his sleeve back down. Winry didn't want to believe him but knew there was no point bothering him any further. It was nice seeing them so there was no point getting into an argument now.

"Okay, so how long are you staying?" Edward scratched the back of his head and glanced away from her.

"Um, indefinite."

"INDEFINITE!"


	4. Chapter 4

The first night they were there, Ed managed to avoid explaining the situation to Winry by telling her they were too tired to talk about it. For some reason she bought that, however the next two days she kept bringing it up despite his efforts to avoid the conversation. She couldn't help but wonder what was going on though. More then a week ago he had called her, asking if she'd noticed anyone stalking her or anything strange and now they show up shortly after. And then there was the way Ed kept moping around, consistently distracted by whatever was occupying his mind that would cause anyone to worry. She hadn't seen him this down since he was a little kid.

A low groan pulled Winry from her thoughts and she realized she hadn't eaten lunch yet. Reluctantly she headed for the stairs to her small kitchen. As she opened the door, she caught sight of Ed from the back. He was standing in front of stove as though he was trying to figure out how to use it. The light scent of smoke hung in the air. He seemed lost in a kitchen to her as he scratched the back of his head in confusion. It was difficult to hold back her laughter however knowing she was there, he let out a growl without turning around

"If you're just gonna stand there, making fun of me, then I'll risk going out."

"What are you trying to make, anyway?" She walked over to get a better look.

"I was just trying to boil some water for eggs." Getting a better look at the mess he'd already made, she shoved him towards the kitchen table to take a seat.

"I'll take care of it, otherwise you might either burn down the building or trash the place." Even though she was right he still wasn't thrilled with the implication that he was useless in the kitchen.

"Cooking and Alchemy are a lot alike yeah know."

"Yes, and just cause you're good at one doesn't mean you're good at the other." Her calm response just made him slouch more and lean forward on his arms. "And what do you mean by risk going out?" It was clearly a loaded question but he didn't bite as he quickly came up with another reason.

"Well there's always the chance of being robbed, stripped, or even both."

"That only happened one time."

"Yeah and who knows, the way people are around here, they might run off with my arm or leg this time." She just shook her head in disbelief.

"You sure that's the real reason?" He cracked a slight smile back at her.

"And you wonder why we don't ever visit you. We finally get some time off to come see you and it's just one accusation after another."

"You just seem so distracted, like something bad happened," her tone became softer, revealing her concern, "You would tell me if something was wrong, right?" Ed let out a sigh and honestly just wanted to get up and leave.

"I would if it was something you needed to know."

"That just sounds like you're hiding something." He was running out of excuses and quickly stood from his seat and headed down the stairs. If he told her what was going on, then she would want to know more about why Ferguson was after Al and him. He hated how his decision to join the military kept getting in the way of what he really wanted. Hated how along with the job came a lot of baggage and he already had plenty. Being part of the military meant taking on people who he would normally not know anything about. And the worse part of this entire problem was he had caused it. He honestly couldn't even blame his position but rather his stupid determination. He was the one who blindly chased after the crazed alchemist when the Colonel had told him not to. It had been a move that hadn't just involved him but Alphonse too and now maybe even Winry. He couldn't bring her into this anymore then she already was.

oOoOo

It was getting hot in the crate which could only mean they were heading further south. The air felt thick, only making the alchemist in box even more anxious. Shifting quickly, Edward managed to rock it some back and forth. It made him wonder if the crate was up high enough to break it open with a fall. Struggling even more, he felt the affect of gravity pulling at the tipping crate each time he'd push all his weight to on side. Eventually with enough momentum, the container started falling. Ed was pushed slightly against the back for only a second before coming in contact with the floor. Now face down, he still didn't get his prison to break.

"Ugh...Ih hurrtt," he muttered through the cloth in his mouth. "Ouksh..." Edward could feel blood dripping down his face and closed his eyes in defeat. It had taken a lot of energy to get the crate to move and now he was too tired to think of anything else.

oOoOo

All the secrecy had only made Winry even more worried. She tried everything to think of something else while she cooked dinner. All she kept telling herself was that it was for her protection but then why would they have come here if she could potentially be in danger. It just didn't make any sense. The more she got lost in her thoughts the more she didn't pay attention to the soup almost burning on the stove. Hurriedly, she pulled the pot off the burner as it started to boil over. Letting out a sigh of relief, she started to serve up two helpings along with some bread for Ed and her. Placing the two bowls on a tray, she turned the stove off and headed down to the shop.

This time of the day things seemed to quiet down some in town, leaving the shop empty. Ed sat by the window, chewing on a straw while Al seemed to find any pointless task to do. He'd been doing that a lot. The two of them were never really good at taking things easy.

"Dinners' ready, Ed." Her announcement got the blond to lazily turn to her. "Please don't look to excited about it or anything." Standing from his post, he shook his head and forced a slight smile back at her.

"No, sorry. I guess I'm just not that hungry." His thoughts about their predicament had him wondering how long they would really have to stay in hiding. It would be easier if they could just go on their way without worrying about this. Like anyone could get a hold of them anyway when they were running all over the place. As he sat down he realized he had been a bit mean to Winry though, especially earlier. They had been worried about her to and this was the best way to keep an eye on her. Her life had been threatened by the military. The same one supposedly protecting him now from a crazed rough alchemist. All these serious thoughts were starting to make him wonder if he'd ever be able to get Al back to normal and then even manage to have some resemblance of a normal life himself. They had managed to get half way through dinner before Winry cleared her throat and he had a feeling it was going to be about them staying there.

"So you mentioned you're stay was indefinite. So does that mean you don't know when your next assignment is?" Edward responded with a huff and rolled his eyes.

"Is it a problem that we're staying here?" Irritated with his response Winry came back with an annoyed tone as well.

"It's not a problem, I was just curious how long you were planning on staying here." Before the conversation could go any further, Ed got up and headed for the stairs. Even though he was concerned for his brother's state of mind lately, Alphonse couldn't help but scold him from across the room.

"Brother, you don't have to be so rude."

oOoOo

It was dark upstairs as Edward flopped down on Winry's bed. He was just worn out from the day even if he didn't do anything significant. Still not having a solution to their problem just made his mood even worse and he knew he wouldn't make for good company. He had been alone with his thoughts for the past several days and even he didn't want to be with himself. But here he was, alone in the dark. The quiet should have been peaceful but it along with everything else lately just grated on his nerves. If he hadn't been so irritated he might have noticed the other person in the room, sneaking up on him from behind.


	5. Chapter 5

Roy immediately recognized the frantic voice on the other end of the line. Since Alphonse didn't need to take a breath between sentences it was difficult to get a word in. Usually the younger Elric was calmer however that wasn't the case when his older brother went missing.

"Alphonse," The Colonel interrupted him finally, "you have to calm down. Now tell me when the last time you saw him was."

"It was about three or four hours ago. He went upstairs and I know he didn't leave because he would have come down. And there was a window broken and he wouldn't hid on me, he's been too moody for practical jokes." This time Al made a point to stop talking so the Colonel could respond.

"Ferguson was spotted two days ago but there haven't been any leads to his whereabouts. I don't know if he's still in town. How would he even know where to find you two anyway? I told Fullmetal not to tell anyone where you were going. Unless you were followed there from Central."

"Do you think that he has someone watching us?"

"Maybe, he does have an ally in the military. Do you want me to come to your location?"

"Please...I don't know what else to do." Al would feel better once Mustang got there. He was the one to take care of Ferguson the first time, after all.

"Okay, where are you? I'll try to head out in the morning."

oOoOo

Despite being worn out from a day of laziness, Ed just couldn't fall asleep like he wanted to. When he was asleep he wouldn't have to think so much but getting to that point was becoming difficult lately. Bringing his arms over his eyes, he let out a tired sigh. Al had figured out not to talk to him about Ferguson but he could tell his younger brother wanted to discuss what their strategy was. Alphonse always liked having a plan and Ed knew they needed to come up with something but he wasn't even able to think of something on his own.

And then there was dealing with his mechanic. Telling Winry about any of this would just get her fired up about how they were always in trouble. But her constant nagging just kept reminding him of the problem at hand. All this thinking was starting to make his head hurt.

Maybe he should go after Ferguson alone. Maybe he should just tell him everything he knew about human transmutation. As much as that might make his life easier, he knew the crazed maniac would use the information. He could hear movement somewhere in the room and figured Winry had come up to bother him some more.

"What do you want now," he mumbled, not moving from the bed. She didn't answer and he couldn't help but wonder if she was upset with him. Another thing he didn't need right now. The bed shifted some, letting him know he was not alone. The next thing that happened he was not expecting as a damp cloth was pressed against his mouth and a hand came behind his head, keeping him from getting away. His eyes shot open and he glanced at the stranger hovering over him, a sick grin in place as he tried to pull their hand away from his face. "There's no point struggling, Ferguson wants to meet with you." The voice came out in a whisper and sent a chill down his body. The sudden realization caused him to panic which made him fight desperately to breath. The smell on the cloth hit the back of his throat and it smelt sour.

_'Chloroform? I've got to get away before...'_ He started to feel woozy and his eyelids felt heavy. Still trying to focus he brought his hands together. It was no use though as he just couldn't concentrate on the transmutation. "Things will go better for you if you just come quietly." The eerie warning now sounded distant as his hands fell to his sides and his eyes slid shut.

oOoOo

Alphonse wouldn't sit still as he paced back and forth, the whole time Winry watching him. Seeing Al like this she could only imagine that Ed was in serious trouble. Even though he'd told her most of what was going on, he hadn't mentioned what Ferguson was capable of. His actions told her enough though.

"Once Colonel Mustang gets here, he'll know what to do, Al." She honestly didn't know what to tell him to calm him down. He nodded quietly but deep down he had an unsettling feeling. There had been no point going out into town to search for his brother since it had been several hours already but even though it was a crazy idea, Alphonse would still consider searching all night. Despite his normal rational mindset, he couldn't think of any way that would help Ed out. All he could do was hope that where ever Edward was, Ferguson wasn't. As though she knew what he was thinking Winry leaned forward in her seat to get his attention. "You know Ed is very resourceful. If anyone can get out of this it's him."

"I know, Winry. It's just hard to be optimistic right now. Ferguson is a horrible person and I wouldn't want anyone I cared about anywhere near him. He does bad things." There would be no consoling the suit of armor at this point. He would continue to worry at least until the Colonel got there.

oOoOo

When he started to come to, the first thing Edward noticed was that he was no longer on a train heading to who knows where. He still couldn't move though and as he opened his eyes, he realized he was still in the crate.

"Weewy?" And apparently he was still gaged as his words came out muffled. At least he wasn't on his face anymore although the small space was really making him feel cramped. An ill feeling attacked his stomach although he couldn't just blame it on his surroundings. He knew who was responsible for this. He knew it had been inevitable in a sense, even if he had tried to get away from his problem. If the crazed alchemist had managed to get out of jail then it was obvious he had resources. There had been a conversation he recalled having with Mustang after they had returned to Central. He remembered how the Colonel had killed the men that Ferguson had 'altered'. Remembered how he'd asked Roy if he would have killed him or Al if anything like that happened to them. If they had been used for some mad man's plans. The answer was not what the youngest State Alchemist wanted to hear and the possibility worried him now. Alphonse needed him, they needed each other to keep moving forward. Outside of the crate he could hear someone moving. A chill shot down his spine and his breath caught in his throat. The lid to the crate was forced open and an unfamiliar face stared down at him, a pleasant smile gracing the young women's features.

"Good morning, Mr. Elric."


	6. Chapter 6

Roy let out a loud yawn as he got off the train. He had caught the last one leaving Central the night before, knowing the sooner he got to Rush Valley the better for Al's sanity.

"Shouldn't you cover your mouth when yawning, Sir," Riza stepped out after him, her statement revealing they were closer then just Colonel and Lieutenant. He gave her a lazy stare, too tired to come back with a response as they made their way into town. Glancing around, Roy couldn't help but grimace.

"A whole town devoted to automail, huh? Wouldn't surprise me if Fullmetal didn't much care for this place."

"Well this was where they came to hide out, so maybe not." As they made it to the shops, Winry came into view just outside her own. The Flame Alchemist couldn't help but smirk.  
"I bet it was more for the company."

oOoOo

The women leaning over the crate, brought her hand down towards Ed's face. He flinched and turned away from her as she removed the gag in his mouth. Her other hand appeared with a bottle of water.

"Figured you could use something to drink. You slept the whole way here." As much as he didn't want to take her up on her offer, his throat was dry.

"So you must be Ferguson's ally." The teen's accusation caused the women to smile even more.

"Who me, I'm much more then that. I'm his daughter."

"That maniac has a daughter?" Edward didn't miss a chance for an insult, it just came so easily for him. She leaned over him even more, obviously not fazed by his comment.

"You're very mouthy for someone in your predicament." Ed glanced around to notice they were in another lab, just as neat as the last one and he swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of his throat.

"So where is he, if you're here?"

"He's not here. He's not really interested in you." It took him a second to understand what she was saying and then it dawned on him.

"He's still after Al."

"I knew you were smart. But don't feel bad, I find you very interesting." Edward let out a sigh and shook his head.

"Let me guess, you're crazy too."

oOoOo

Winry greeted the Colonel and Lieutenant once they got to the shop. She didn't even have to tell Alphonse they were there as the sound of armor clanging down the stairs could be heard. Al grabbed Mustang and hugged him out of impulse.

"Colonel, you're here. I'm so glad you got here so fast. Now we can find Brother." It was impossible to have any dignity when being hugged by a suit of armor but Roy did his best trying to get Al to let him go.

"Come on Al,...this is not the time." Finally he released him and they all headed inside. Alphonse showed the Colonel what he'd found the night before upstairs while Winry remained downstairs with Hawkeye.

"I guess Alphonse has really been worried," Riza pointed out as she took a seat on a stool near the front counter. Winry let out a sigh and dropped her gaze to the floor.

"I don't think I've ever seen him so worried. Not since that one night, anyway. I really hope Eds' okay." It was obvious that her concern was more then just for Al but Riza didn't push it.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be able to figure something out. Ferguson was still in Central from what we understand."

"Do you think Ed might have been brought back there?"

"I don't know, anything's possible." Winry just nodded back quietly. Upstairs, Roy was looking around for any clues that Al might have missed. The broken window had definately been broken from the outside but there was no blood which told him the person wasn't in a hurry. They probably broke it when no one was around and waited for Ed up here, maybe in the closet. Looking down into the alleyway, he noticed that it would have been impossible for someone like Ferguson to carry Ed down the fire escape.

"Have you found anything?" Alphonse' tone revealed his anxiousness.

"Not quite. Did anyone else know you were coming here?" The suit of armor leaned forward some and placed his hand on the back of his helmet, out of habit.

"Well there was this girl at the station when we left Central. I didn't know what was going on yet. She was going to Dublith like we were. When Brother found out I mentioned where we were going, we detoured here. But no one knew we were coming here." The Colonel leaned against a wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's not like you could sneak off a train with no one noticing you either. What did she look like?"

"She was a little older then Brother and had brown hair with glasses. Do you really think she's involved?"

"Don't know, but chances are if she did take Ed, she didn't stay in Rush Valley. I'm sure if we checked the station, we can find out if anyone saw her. It's worth a shot at least." Alphonse nodded back, now feeling even worse that he probably was the one that caused this.

oOoOo

"Yeah, he just left the train station," the dark figure spoke into the phone, as he pulled up their collar. "Why should I have to follow the Flame Colonel?" The stranger's voice did not fit his appearance. Under his dark jacket was a blue military uniform. He was one of the only people standing on the platform at Central. The last train had already left for the evening, heading South. "Okay, I'll go but I don't get what the big deal is. All these sacrifices seem to have a death wish. Can't stay out of trouble for a second. Fine fine." With that the soldier got off the phone but not without noticing the other person now standing behind him. "Can I help you?" His tone was sarcastic and annoyed with the others presence. A cold grin and the readjusting of glasses was the response he got, causing him to turn quickly. "Hey what's your problem." A long skinny arm grabbed onto his wrist and a bolt of electricity shot through his body. The forced knocked him to the ground as a bright light appeared, causing him to change his form. The stranger tilted his head to the side and smiled even more.

"You certainly are interesting," He mused as Envy lay there unable to move.

"Stay...away from...me," The homunculus growled as Ferguson leaned over him.

"I don't think I can do that."

A/N-didn't see that coming did you, haha


	7. Chapter 7

"So that's the plan," Winry didn't seem to confident in Roy's far fetched idea of simply going to the train station. He scowled back at her.

"There really aren't that many options here now are there? And even though it is a small lead, it's still the only one we have right now." He strongly hated having to explain himself.

"Well then I'm going with you," The automail mechanic decided with resolve.

"Winry, are you sure? It might be dangerous," Alphonse warned her and the other two in the room nodded in agreement.

"No, I want to help. If Ed is in danger like everyone is saying then I can't just sit here and wait."

"Fine you can come, but you have to stay with the Lieutenant, understand." Mustang didn't like the idea of her coming but he wasn't going to argue with her, especially with all the tools within her reach. "We'll check out the station this afternoon." Winry nodded and smiled to herself. Even though it was a slim chance that they would learn Ed's whereabouts, she still hoped they would find something that would help."

oOoOo

As Envy woke up, he found that he couldn't see anything around him. Letting out an irritated noise, he tried to move only to find he was tied up.

'That humans' gonna pay.' Although he could normally change the mass of his body for some reason he was having a difficult time focusing on shifting. It would be so much easier for him to escape if he could turn into an animal or something smaller that would loosen the ropes. 'What did he do to me? Why can't I change?' There was the sound of a whistle overhead and he could feel the small space around him start to move. He was on a train and not of his own will. 'He really has no idea who he's messing with.'

oOoOo

"Let me out of here!" Edward was tired of being stuffed in a hot crate and made sure anyone who could hear him did. "You can't keep me locked up like this forever!" He moved some more, trying to at least find a comfortable position but to no avail. Finally he could hear two sets of footprints coming his way and he paused in his ranting. Sucking in a deep breath, he worried that Ferguson was already here and he wasn't ready to face him.

"Open it." The order was a female voice and he slowly released his breath. The top of the crate was yanked off in one pull and a huge man stared down at him. In the background he noticed Ferguson's daughter and started to struggle again. "If you don't knock it off, I can always make you more uncomfortable." Edward froze but continued to glare at her.

"You can't do anything to me. Not without getting daddy's permission anyway." Ed never did know when to keep his mouth shut. The women before him let out a laugh that was as unsettling as the mad alchemist she was related to.

"Oh no? Like I said you're not who hes' interested in this time. And don't think I'm not a threat. I can do everything my father can." Ed's amber gaze shifted from her to the man standing over him. He seemed out of it, just like the guards he encountered at Ferguson's lab.

"You made him like this, didn't you." There was pure hatred in his tone as she laughed back at him again. It was beginning to get on his nerves.

"Now I'm sure you think that I am just as bad as my father but I leave the soul still in tacked. But it is amazing what you can do to a person's mind. He listens to everything I tell him to do, it's nice to have good help around here. Maybe I'll show you later, if you don't want to be cooperative." Ed couldn't come up with anything else to say which caused her to smile even more. "Figured that would shut you up."

oOoOo

Winry waited quietly with Alphonse as Mustang and Hawkeye went into the office. As hopeful as Al had been, now he found himself anxious. The chances of anyone here noticing one passenger was very unlikely. Winry stood there quietly, unsure of what to say that would help him at this point. Several minutes pass before he had had enough of just standing there.

"I'm gonna see what's taking them so long."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea? If they wanted you to come then wouldn't they have told you that?" The armor shook his head and turned to the main office.

"I can't wait any longer." With that, Winry didn't argue anymore as he moved for the door. Just as he went to turn the handle, the door opened and Roy was on his way out along with Riza. She caught Al's eye and shook her head slightly letting him know this was a dead end. The younger Elric nodded solemnly back at her. Just as the Colonel was thanking the office manager for his help, the older man noticed Alphonse standing there.

"Colonel, wait a minute, is he with you?" He pointed at the armor on the other side of the door. Mustang turned to see Al standing there and nodded back.

"Actually yes."

"I have an envelope that was left for a man in a suit of armor. A big guy gave it to me and said you'd be by." The office manager opened the top drawer of his desk and rummaged around till he retrieved a letter with Al's name written on the front. Once he was thanked again for his help, the three of them made their way back to Winry. Alphonse stared at the envelope, wondering what it could say.

"So you just gonna keep looking at it or open it?" Roy was obviously becoming inpatient, mainly because he came up empty handed.

"Oh sure." Al quickly ripped the envelope open and unfolded the letter inside.

_ To Alphonse Elric,_

_ Meet us in Dublith and come alone. If you bring anyone with you, you know what will happen._

There were some directions scribbled below the message for him. The Colonel pulled the paper from him before he had a chance to say anything.

"What's it say?" The armor tried to grab it back but Roy moved out of his reach. "I see. Mmm, guess we're going to Dublith."


	8. Chapter 8

"So doesn't your teacher live in Dublith," Mustang inquired as he continued to look over the letter that was so recently given to them. Alphonse sat across the way with his head down. He's rather be on this trip by himself like the note had told him. He wasn't sure if the Colonel was so determined because Ed was taken or if it had to do with his pride. It wasn't like him to let someone get away like Ferguson had.

"Yes, I suppose I'll stay with her while I'm there." Dark eyes shifted from the paper to the suit of armor.

"What about us?" Al looked away, rubbing the back of his helmet.

"Actually it's in your best interest not to meet our teacher. She really doesn't like the military or State Alchemists for that matter." The Colonel frowned back but nodded in agreement before handing Al back the letter.

"Fine, don't want to cause you any problems. Just don't do anything without us, understand?" Alphonse let out a vocal huff.

"Okay." Unfortunately deep down he knew he couldn't make any moves with the Colonel and Lieutenant accompanying him. He would have to go alone even if it meant he would be in danger.

oOoOo

It was late by the time Al made it to his teacher's house. He knocked on the front door timidly, with Winry behind him.

"Please don't say anything about Brother, okay Winry?"

"But shouldn't your teacher know what's going on? Alphonse wasn't sure if it would benefit anyone for Izumi to know about Edward being kidnapped. She tended to overreact in these situations. Before he could say anything else the door burst opened and his teacher stood there, wielding a knife.

"Uh, hi teacher. it's me!" Al was quick to let her know it was him so she knew not to attack him.

"Alphonse, it's so nice to see you." She smiled sweetly and extended her open hand. Al gratefully took it only for her to flip him out of her way. Winry ducked for cover. "I haven't heard from you or your brother for months and now you just decide to show up. Do I look like a hotel?" Alphonse was unable to respond as he decided to stay down. Izumi noticed Winry and shot her a look. "And who is this?" Winry stood up straighter then she had ever in her life and extended a trembling hand.

"I'm Winry, Ed's automail mechanic." Izumi continued to stare her down before shaking her hand roughly and smiling.

"Well it's good to meet you. Didn't think these boys hung around any girls, they're always so busy running around being dogs for the military. You're just in time for dinner." She pulled Winry into the house and closed the door, leaving Alphonse outside.

"Hey, wait for me."

oOoOo

It seemed to be dark outside. At least there seemed to be a lack of light from the inside of the crate. Edward pressed his metal foot against the lid, hoping that they hadn't closed it tightly. If he could find a weakness in the wood, he might be able to escape. As he made it to the corner, there was a low creek that gave him some hope. Bringing his foot as far back as possible, he swung it upward as hard as he could. The corner of the lid popped open with ease. He brought his foot down and bent his knee, pushing is open even more but still not enough to get out yet.

'_Cause I'm not that small,_' he explained to himself as he shifted to his left side and rammed his automail shoulder against the lid. By now it moved with ease and he carefully slid it most of the way off the crate. As he managed to get most of the way out, the lid fell, making a loud thud on the floor. Moving quickly, he put the lid back on and hide behind the door. There was the shuffle of feet heading in his direction and the door was pushed open. As the light came on Edward held his breath as he watched the large man from before look around the room. He didn't say anything or even go over to the crate to make sure Ed was still inside. The door closed and once again the room was dark. Ed released the air he was holding and tried his wrists to see it he could get them free. '_This wouldn't be so difficult if I could just use alchemy.'_ Finally he tried to slam the wooden shackles against the wall only to bite back a yowl. He hadn't taken his real arm into consideration as pain shot up his left arm. Now trying to twist his metal wrist against the shackle, it just hurt his other arm more.

Becoming exasperated, he glanced around the room to look for anything sharp. After opening every drawer in the small lab, he found something even better then a blade. A small piece of chalk.

oOoOo

"So where's that walking disaster you call a brother?" Izumi's title for Edward did seem a bit harsh, unfortunately Al couldn't help but agree with it at times.

"He's not with me, he's um..." Know Alphonse didn't like lying even in a situation like this, Winry spoke up.

"We're suppose to meet him here." Both Izumi and her husband were surprised Winry said anything since it had been the first time that evening she had opened her mouth. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous, she wasn't the one who joined the military.

"Probably getting into trouble somewhere." With that said, Izumi placed a platter of meat on the table and took her seat next to Sig. "So what have you been up to lately, Alphonse?" She didn't have to even look in his direction as he tried desperately to think of an answer.

"We were visiting Winry and then decided since you were only a couple of hours away we'd come see you as well. Brother had some time off." Nothing he said was technically a lie as Winry nodded in agreement.

"I've heard so many nice things about their teacher, I just had to meet you." Winry wasn't lying either, she hadn't really gotten a chance to meet Izumi.

"Hah, guess I don't beat the two of them up enough if they're still able to say nice things about me." She let out a laugh and nudged Al in the arm. He laughed back in agreement.

"You're not that bad, Teacher." She glanced over at the suit of armor.

"Yup, I've gotten soft."

oOoOo

The hallway was also dark, making it difficult to see anything. Edward carefully made his way along the wall, trying to find a way out. So far no one had heard him and he wanted to keep it that way. He could make out a faint light down the hall and around the corner and hurried to it. Just as the source of light came into view, he halted. Ferguson's daughter stood before him, holding a lantern. A deep scowl took over her features as it was clear she was displeased he'd gotten out. Regardless of how she felt, he wasn't about to back down.

"I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't get out of my way I'll have no other choice." Despite how determined he sounded, he really didn't want to fight her if she really could perform the same alchemy her dad could.

"I'm not too worried about that." Before he could bring his hands together, two strong arms came up behind him and grabbed him under his arms.

"Hey, let me go!" He kicked wildly at the beast of a man holding him. The behemoth made eye contact with him as if he understood what he said.

"She said to keep you from using alchemy." It was the first time the man had spoken. Some movement in front of him, brought Ed's attention back to Ferguson's daughter. She was now standing right before him, within arm's reach.

"I should have known you couldn't be trusted." She pulled on a glove with a transmutation circle drawn on it and reached for him.

"No, stop!"

A/N-so I don't remember Winry actually meeting Izumi in Brotherhood, but if I am wrong please let me know and I will change this...somehow.


	9. Chapter 9

It was quiet in the Curtis house at this hour of the night. Alphonse had waited for everyone to go to bed before he snuck out. It was difficult not to make any noise as his armor creaked and clanked. As he quietly closed the front door behind him, he made sure to lock it. Being the size he was, it was almost impossible to go out the window like Ed did. Although he knew that the Colonel would be unhappy with him for taking things into his own hands, he just couldn't sit still any more. In situations like this, he tended to be even more stubborn then his older brother. He hurried down the street and was almost to the train station before taking a side street and stopped outside one particular building. He had thought about sneaking in and seeing if he could find Ed by himself. Of course he wasn't sure if his older brother was even there. As much as he didn't want to negotiate with Ferguson, he wonder if that would be the only way to guarantee Ed's safety. Maybe the mad alchemist would accept Al's surrender and let Edward go. Or maybe he wouldn't cut a deal with Alphonse at all and threaten Ed's life like he had in the past. The younger Elric brother let out a vocal sigh in frustration. He didn't like dealing with these problems on his own. Whatever he chose to do would be reckless and he was used to being the word of caution.

oOoOo

She had just closed her eyes when Winry heard the soft sound of metal brushing against metal. Immediately she knew Alphonse was up to something without her and she wasn't about to stay behind. Quickly she got out of bed, got dressed just in time to see him sneak out the front door. Grabbing her jacket, she hurried after him but made sure he didn't see her following. She had a pretty good idea where he was headed anyway. There was really only one place he would go at this time of night. A couple of times the armor would turn to look behind him and she would have to duck behind a trash can or bush. If he knew she was tailing him, he would send her back. She hadn't come all this way to be ignored now. Besides deep down there was a part of her that wanted to smack whoever it was that took Ed. They had had enough set backs as it was and didn't need this right now. Turning the next corner, she halted when she noticed Alphonse had stopped outside a tall brick building that wasn't near any other buildings. It seemed somewhat unkept from the outside with several windows cracked or broken and debris cluttering the entrance. As much as it looked like it was abandoned though, there were lights on inside, even at this hour. Staying in the shadows, Winry waited for Al to make his next move.

oOoOo

Despite the quietness of the house, Izumi easily heard the sound of Alphonse hollow steps over Sig's snoring. Shortly after she heard the front door close behind him, she could hear Winry sneaking out as well. Letting out a sigh, she sat up and decided to follow them. With Ed not here, she could only assume this had something to do with him since Alphonse was not really known for getting himself into trouble. Besides this was the first time Al had ever shown up without his older brother and since there really wasn't much said about Ed's whereabouts, it was easy to conclude he was up to no good. But then she had expected that from a military dog. Winry moved behind a trash can, causing Izumi to dash out of sight as well. It really wasn't like Al to keep secrets from her as she could usually scare the truth out of him. And it was obvious that Winry knew something was up as well since she was also following the suit of armor in the middle of the night. This little errand came to an end as Alphonse stopped outside a tall building at the end of town.

"So I wonder if Edward is here then?"

oOoOo

Al decided he wasn't going to waste anymore time as he went around to the back of the building. Finding another door, he tried the handle only to realized it was locked. Scratching the back of his helmet, he glanced around for another way. He didn't want to break the door down only for Ferguson to hear him sneaking in. There was a sound from behind that caused him to turn around quickly. Winry stepped out, arms crossed and a frown displayed on her face.

"So you decided to rescue Ed without me?" She had to keep her voice down but it was evident in her low tone she was unhappy with him.

"Winry, I...actually I don't know what I'm doing," he admitted as he dropped his gaze to the ground. The automail mechanic dropped her arms to her sides and walked over to him.

"Well for one, how are you planning on getting inside?" Even though the armor was more than capable to knock the door off it's hinges, that would not be the stealthiest way in and really wasn't Al's style anyway. Winry reached into her pocket and retrieved a small pouch with her lock picks in it.

"Now are you going to let me help or not?"

"Uh, yeah if you can get in." The younger Elric moved out of her way and within minutes, she had the door opened without a sound.

"That was easy." Al's tone revealed his disappointment that he wasn't able to do this on his own. "Just stay behind me, okay. I don't want you getting hurt." With that said, the two of them entered the building.

A/N-just cause we're nine chapters in doesn't mean I don't appreciate the reviews. So please still review. :)


	10. Chapter 10

"I think we've been ditched," Colonel Mustang declared as he stood outside the Curtis residence.

"Yes sir, I believe you're correct." Riza nodded in agreement. They had knocked on the front door several times with no answer. "So what do you want to do now, sir?"

"How could Al do this to us? What was the point of coming along if he's just gonna take care of things on his own?" Roy scratched the back of his head in frustration.

"Well we know where he was suppose to go, so let's just go there." Of course his Lieutenant already knew that was where they were headed as they walked down the street.

"Guess it depends on when he left, but I wonder if we'll have to rescue Alphonse too." Without saying another word, they moved quickly.

oOoOo

-The night before-

Al and Winry had a difficult time moving down the dark hallway. Every so often they would find a door but each one had turned up nothing. They reached the final door that lead to a flight of stairs.

"You mean theres' a basement?" Winry was clinging to Al's backside. "Do we really have to go down there?"

"You wanted to come along and I'm determined to find Brother." Alphonse began to descend the stairs. Winry stumbled behind him, carefully taking each step. As they got about half way down, Al noticed a dim light which gave him a small glimmer of hope that they might find Ed down here.

"Can you see anything yet?" Winry was closing her eyes but could smell an unpleasant stench coming from below. As the room came into view, Al paused and wouldn't move for Winry to see. The lab was dirty and it looked like the kind of place you didn't want to know what happened there. It looked as though there had been a struggle at some point and there were several bloody hand prints on the far wall. A stretcher was knocked over and there were several sharp utensils scattered on the floor. The light flickered some, creating an even creepier feeling to the place. As much as he didn't want to take in any more, one thing brought some relief to his worried mind. The hand prints belonged to someone with a real right hand and not his brothers.

"Let's go back upstairs, Winry." They slowly turned and moved quickly back up the stairs to the second floor.

oOoOo

Slitted violet eyes squinted open, glancing around the small confinement. Sitting up was a mistake as the homunculi's midsection ached. Envy didn't think he could hurt like this. As cocky as he had been, now he was pretty sure he was not going to get out of this situation on his own. But even still, he had connections that these stupid humans didn't want to mess with. His Father would not leave him like this.

Maybe.

As he got to his feet, his frustration returned and he marched over to the door to try to knob. Finding it locked only made him angrier. He punched the metal door only to dent it slightly. Shaking his hand, he glanced around the room again. It was small with no windows or rather no other way out. He grunted and clenched his fists at his sides. With no escape he would have to wait and he hated waiting. There was a world outside waiting to be tormented and he couldn't do that from in here. Walking the short distance to the opposite wall, he tripped over something he hadn't noticed before on the ground. With practically no light in the room, it was difficult to make out the person laying on the ground. But getting a better look, the homunculus couldn't mistake this particular human for anyone else. It was someone he was suppose to keep tabs on and make sure stayed out of trouble. And yet trouble always managed to find the short alchemist at his feet.

"So I'm stuck with you again? Great. It's not like you're gonna do me any good if you're unconscious."

oOoOo

Izumi had already managed to loose track of Al and Winry inside the house as she wondered around on the first floor.

"If I get lost looking for those two in this creepy place, they are seriously going to pay for it," she muttered to herself as she opened one particular door. As she made it further inside, she realized it was a dead end just as the door closed behind her. "Well at least I've got company, right?" Turning around she confronted the large man standing before her. "So maybe you can help me. I'm looking for a girl and a suit of armor." The man closed in on her, not saying anything. Bringing his arms over his head, he brought his fists down where she was standing. As she moved quickly out of the way, she clapped her hands together. "Guess we do this the hard way. Not like I'm not used to dealing with guys as big as you." Pressing her palms to the floor, the ground jutted up around her attacker, holding him in place. "Now would you like to tell me where they are?" The man seemed desperate to get loose as he struggled against the restraints and grunted loudly.

"You don't belong here. Get out." His voice was rough but he didn't seem angry.

"Well that depends if you're keeping my friends here."

"No, you have to leave. Before they find you." Izumi's smirk dropped into a frown.

"What are you talking about?" He continued to try to break free as she moved towards him. "Who are they."

"They'll change you..." Suddenly he broke free and grabbed her by the shoulders but paused in his attack. "I don't want to hurt you...but have no choice." She ducked down out of his grasp and ended up with her back against a wall. A large fist came at her and she had to move away just as it made contact with the wall.

"If you don't want to hurt me, what do you want?" The man standing before her hunched forward and a soft sob escaped him.

"I...I just want to go home to my family."

A/N- so when Envy mentions being stuck with Ed again, he's referencing when they were in Gluttony. Just to let you know, now review and show me love! 3 This is finally getting fun to write.


	11. Chapter 11

She ran as fast as she could, tears streaming down her face. Almost loosing her balance, she grabbed the railing as she made it to the stairwell. She had to hide, or get out of this place. But the chances of getting out now were slim so finding somewhere to hide for awhile would have to do for now. There was the sound of footsteps above her as someone rushed after her. She figured they wouldn't just let her leave.

Winry moved as quickly as her legs would carry her, all the way down, sometimes even taking two steps at a time. Making it to the first floor she glanced down the hallway to the exit. Someone was standing in her way. He had his back to her so luckily she hadn't been spotted. She turned and headed for the one place she had wanted to avoid the most. The smell hit her like a wave but she didn't have time to think about it as she stumbled into the dimly lit basement. Finding a closet under the staircase, she got inside and closed the door. Inside the closet were several white lab coats for her to hide herself even more.

oOoOo

The floor creaked under Al's foot. The second floor and third floor had been uneventful too as there was no sign of Ed. At this point Alphonse didn't know if he was more frustrated and disappointed or angry. Deep down part of him wanted to find Ferguson and punch the man's lights out. As they rounded another corner, there was the distinct sound of fire. As they came closer to the source the soft light bounced of the walls, sending soft shadows every which way.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, Mr. Elric." Alphonse immediately recognized Ferguson's voice.

"Where's my brother?" Al's tone was deathly low and Winry noticed him clenching his fists. Ferguson was standing in front of a fireplace with someone sitting next to him. Al got a better look at her and found himself staring in shock. "You? You're helping him?" She stood up, brushing her brown hair over her shoulder and smiled back at the armor. Ferguson cleared his throat before speaking up.

"This is my daughter, Madison."

"You're the one from the train. You're the one who took Ed, didn't you?"

"In today's world, you really do need to be careful with who you talk to," She smiled even more as though the accusations just made her prouder of her accomplishments.

"I can't believe I was nice to you!" Al's tone got louder. He hated how laid back they were while he was still worried sick. Winry decided she had been silent long enough and pushed past Al.

"Alright, I've had about enough of you two and I just met you." She pulled her over sized wrench out from behind her.

"Winry, where did you get that?" Al turned to her and then looked even closer, trying to figure out where she would hide such a weapon.

"We came for Ed and you're gonna tell us where he is." Ferguson let out an annoying laugh at this new threat.

"I believe I told you to come alone, but then I don't see this young lady being a problem," Ferguson was very amused at the situation. Alphonse made a quick move, rushing across the room at Madison. His leather hands wrapped around her throat, causing her to stop smirking.

"Tell me where Ed is or I'll kill her."

oOoOo

Winry stifled a sob, trying to calm down. Using the crack in the door, she glanced out, looking for any movement. She wasn't sure if she was followed or not. There was a slight twinge in her left arm that brought her attention back inside the closet. Blood dripped down her forearm and she realized she was injured more then she thought. Rummaging through the pockets of the lab coats, she finally found a handkerchief and pressed it on her cut. It burned even more but at least she wasn't bleeding all over the place. The door above her head slammed hard against the wall. She let out a squeak in surprised but quickly covered her mouth. The stairs overhead creaked with each weighted footstep until her pursuer was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Winry held her breath as she could feel the person's presence even more. There was no where else to go, she was cornered. It was silent now but there was no way of knowing how long she should remain hidden. Without a sound, she caught sight of the person chasing her through the crack in the door. The dull light made him look pale and not nearly as vibrant as he usually did. As he turned, the light reflected off his blade, causing her to look away.

She never thought she would be in this predicament and wanted more then anything for Alphonse to come find her. There was a screeching sound that yanked her from her thoughts. He was running the blade across one of the metal tables. She covered her ears, and tried to swallow the lump that had lodged itself in her throat. When the noise finally stopped she looked up to no longer see him standing in the room. With limited visual of the room, she couldn't figure out where he had gone. Just as she wondered if he had given up looking for her, he appeared a couple of inches in front of the door, staring right at her. Amber eyes that once held so much life in them, so much intensity now looked at her with a coppery dullness. The sudden movement caused her to gasp as the door was forced open and she was yanked out.

"Edward! Stop!" But her shrieking wouldn't be acknowledged as he roughing pulled her to her feet.

A/N- I've been really nice about getting a chapter out for the last three days, thus I should be rewarded with nice words from the readers. Cause when you review, you show you care. (insert very cute kitty picture here.)


	12. Chapter 12

The stale air in the room became heavy as no one dare move. Winry remained where she was, mouth open in shock at the sight of her armored friend actually threatening someone's life. But he didn't waver not even when the raspy cackling echoed off the walls around them. Ferguson found this new development...amusing? It irritated Alphonse and he tightened his grip some. Did the man now behind him think he wouldn't follow through with his threat? Could he even follow through with his threat? Madison seemed to believe he would as she clutched at the leather gloves around her neck.

"Why are you laughing? Don't you care about your own daughter?"

"It's not that at all, your brothers' right here." Al turned to hear Winry gasp shortly after Ferguson's statement. A strong arm grabbed her from behind while a blade was pressed against her throat. Even if she couldn't see who was holding her, she knew it was Ed. The smell of automail oil was something she was very familiar with and she always used the best kind on his.

"Ed, what are you doing?" Her voice came out slightly above a whisper but there was no answer.

"Two can play this hostage game, Alphonse or didn't you figure that out from our last encounter? Now let go of my daughter." Al hated how Ferguson was always two steps ahead of him. In a quick movement he turned, tossing Madison at her father before rushing at Ed and Winry. Edward moved just as fast, knocking Winry to the floor and scratching her arm in the process. He moved faster then Al expected, kicking the front of the armor hard. Alphonse crashed onto the floor with Ed standing over him, blade extended forward. The younger Elric glanced up at his brother who had no expression on his face.

"Winry, you have to run!" The mechanic didn't argue the point as she nodded and got to her feet. Al stood as well and brought his arms in front of himself, defensively. "What is your problem, Ed! Why would you attack us? There was no answer as Ed came at him again. As he launched up to kick Al again, the suit of armor moved out of the way, grabbing his brother's ankle. "Stop it, Brother, you'll just hurt yourself if you keep this up." But the blond he was holding upside down didn't want to hear it as he struggled angrily. He tried to kick with his other foot and finally managed to get away when he slashed at the armor's legs. Even without much leverage, the blade on his arm was sharp enough to puncture Al's foot, causing all his weight to shift and he lost his balance. Releasing his hold on Ed's ankle, he stumbled backwards, this time his helmet fell off, bouncing across the floor. Ferguson smiled even more as Edward straightened up silently.

"Very nice, now go get that girl."

oOoOo

"So they made you do whatever they wanted?" Izumi stood over the over sized enemy who was now sitting on the floor. He quietly nodded, rubbing his head and keeping his eyes closed. "Well it seems that the effects don't last forever. Why don't you just leave?" A soft groan was the only response she got. Crossing her arms she glanced towards the hallway, wondering if Al and Winry had any luck finding Ed. Of course she hadn't even verified that that was the reason they had come here. "Tell me something. You wouldn't know anything about a kid that went missing. Blond hair, obnoxiously cocky, short."

"We took him in Rush Valley. He's here." She arched an eyebrow in response. It had been obvious that something serious was up. Alphonse was a terrible liar. "I suppose I should go find them." As she headed for the door, he grabbed the back of her white dress.

"I'm not suppose to let anyone in." She glanced back at him, a smirk playing on her lips.'

"And now there's three of us here. Do I have to beat you up again?" The giant actually shivered at the statement and released her. "I think you'd be smart to get out of here and go home." With that, she walked down the hallway and turned a corner to find an elevator. Standing up, the guard wondered out of the room into the hall and stared at the open back door. His gaze dropped to his feet as he forced one foot forward. It seemed to take more effort then he thought.

oOoOo

Envy could hear the commotion from inside his cell and kicked at the door again. He hated being in here but knowing that someone else showed up and was most likely beating up the ones responsible for his capture angered him even more. He didn't like being ignored anyway but to be dragged here against his will just made the homunculi's mood even worse.

"I've had enough of this," He grumbled as he started to change. The room wasn't big enough to contain him as his size out grew the walls. The door bend out into the hallway, strained against it's hinges. It wasn't very long before it gave to the weight behind it and smash into pieces. Envy's long green tail pushed through the doorway and his arms broke through the walls on either side of him. If he thought he was trapped before, now he really couldn't move. "Grr..." He had hoped he could cause the whole building to fall but apparently it hadn't been enough.

oOoOo

Winry was yanked up the stairs and back into the room where Ferguson and his daughter were. Al was chained to the floor, unable to move. Obviously a quick work of alchemy. As Ed pushed Winry into the room he closed the door behind him. Alphonse shifted some, glancing over at Winry.

"Winry!" He had hoped she could get away and tell Colonel Mustang what was going on. It was now clear that he was in over his head and he didn't know how they would get out of this. What was worse though was the deep nagging feeling that this whole mess was his fault. He was the one who told Madison where they were going when Edward was trying to protect them. He was the one who didn't want to wait till he had backup. He knew how dangerous Ferguson was but part of him had completely ignored that fact. His regretful gaze shifted up as Ferguson walked over, a smirk plastered on his face. Before he could say anything, there was a thud from down the hallway. It was followed by an equally loud thud and then another.

"What is that," Madison asked through gritted teeth. Before anyone could go out to see what it was, the door was thrown into the room with no effort at all. Edward turned to see Envy behind him.

"You just don't know how to stay out of trouble, do you Pipsqueak?"

A/N-REVIEWS!


	13. Chapter 13

_What am I doing? It's like watching everything I'm do from someone else's perspective. Something is forcing me to move and it makes me feel like a puppet. I'm wondering down a hall but don't know how I got here. I can hear voices coming from an open door several feet away._

"Alright, I've had about enough of you two and I just met you." _It's Winry? Why is she here? Is Al with her?_

"Winry, where did you get that?"_ He is here, I have to warn him about Ferguson. He can't stay here, it's too dangerous. I finally make it into the room but for some reason I grab Winry from behind causing her to jump. I can't stop myself, it's as though I have no control over my actions._

"Ed, what are you doing?"_ Alphonse is now staring at me like I'm crazy but then I must be because I'm threatening Winry and with the arm she gave me no less. Before I know it, Al rushes at me and I make my move. Pushing Winry down, I spring up and kick my brother in the chestplate. Why don't I stop? He stumbles backwards and I continue to fight him._

_What's wrong with me?_

oOoOo

"E..Envy...what are you doing here?" Alphonse' soft tone vibrated off the floor. The homunculus sneered, hands on his hips in a prideful manner.

"Don't go thinking I came to rescue you, these two caught me too. And I'm not about to let them get away with it either." Al struggled against his bonds.

"But what did they do to my brother and how come they didn't do it to you too?" Envy laughed back in amusement.

"Please, it's not that easy with me. Now I have my revenge to carry through with." As he walked past Ed, he pushed him out of the way. The short alchemist didn't appreciate it and charged him. The homunculus grabbed him by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. "You know you're amusing when you're more coherent. Just do yourself a favor and stay down this time." He tossed him across the room, knocking a chair over in the process. Edward got back up and attacked Envy again only for him to put his arm out and press it against Ed's forehead, keeping him an arms length away. "Guess I'm gonna have to deal with him before I can have any fun with you guys." As he said this he felt Ed's blade poke him in the side. "Grr...that hurt, Pipsqueak."

Envy pushed him away even harder this time. "No one is gonna stand in my way, not even one of our sacrifices." His statement brought some ease to Al's mind as he remembered that the homunculus wouldn't hurt him or Ed. So technically Envy could be considered an ally in this situation.

oOoOo

"So I get this far and for what?" Izumi stood in front of the elevator doors which had so recently been dented in. "To be trapped in an elevator? I don't think so." Clapping her hands together, she placed them against the doors. She could hear a fight going on above her head and she released a groan. "And I'm still on the wrong floor."

oOoOo

_The sound she made was agony to my ears as I yanked her up by her injured arm. I couldn't even stop myself from being so cruel. What did they do to me? I know when Al and I encountered Ferguson's guards, they didn't seem to even be conscious about what was going on around them. They were slow and careless. Nothing like this. I can't stand being used like this. She's glaring at me, I can feel it without even looking over at her. She must hate me now. I hate myself so why not. Dutifully I continue my ascent up the stairs, pulling her harshly up behind me. Why doesn't she try to get away? Smack me or something. But she does nothing as though she's accepted this. If I had known we'd be in this kind of predicament, I would have been nicer to her in Rush Valley. Despite my actions though, I can still feel a knot forming in my stomach. I can't steady the shaking and I'm sure she noticed my automail limbs rattling from it. All I can hope is that she knows I'm still in here and I can't fight this._

_That deep down I wish I was dead._

oOoOo

Envy jumped around the room with ease as Ed was quick to chase after him. Even though it was prolonging the homuncli's plans, he now seemed amused by toying with Edward. Winry had made it over to Al and was trying to get him free when Madison noticed her.

"Hey, no one said you release him." The blond mechanic turned glaring at the other women in the room.

"You don't want to mess with me right now." Her tone was low and dangerous but the response was a soft chuckle.

"Really? Why, what's the little girl gonna do to me?"

"Winry, they're dangerous. You shouldn't go challenging them." Al's warning fell on deaf ears as Winry stood up and stomped over. Bringing back her fist she landed her knuckles squarely in the other woman's face. Madison let out a shriek in response before grabbing Winry's wrist.

"Not very smart little girl." Winry yanked her hand away before any alchemy could be done. She brought her other arm around, nailing Madison in the jaw with her elbow. She took several shaky steps backwards before collapsing on the ground.

"You've messed with the only family I have left, I'm not about to let you sit back and get a good laugh about it."

A/N- since no one else is updating their stories right now, you might as well go ahead and review. XD


	14. Chapter 14

"Winry when did you learn how to fight?" Alphonse watched as Madison stood up only for Winry to punch her in the stomach. She doubled over and Winry brought her whole upper weight down in her neck.

"What are you talking about, Al? You think Ed never showed me how to defend myself?" Of course there was more to it then that. The automail mechanic was pretty tough anyway from all the hard work she did. She was not a lightweight and should not be underestimated. When Madison didn't bother getting back up, Winry hurried over to Al. She knelt down and pulled at the chain around his wrist. It wouldn't budge. "I'll be right back." She stood and headed out of the room and returned quickly with her wrench in hand. "Dropped this in the hallway." Placing the one end under the chain and against the floor, she pushes it upward, giving Alphonse enough room to get one arm free. Winry had to duck quickly, covering her head as Envy jumped over them, followed by Ed as he clumsily tripped over Al. Without a second thought, he was back up and after the homunculus. Envy went for Ferguson, grabbing him around the throat and turning around, using him as a shield. Edward stopped for a second, breathing hard and wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"That's right you won't hurt this bastard, will yah?" Envy flashed an evil grin. Ferguson tried to get away but the older alchemist just didn't have the strength that the homunculi did. Madison inched towards the door, knowing that there was nothing else she could do. Her father reached out for her and choked out her name.

"Sorry Dad, but I know when to walk away from a situation." With that she left the room, disappearing into the shadows. Envy leaned closer to his prey and laughed wickedly in his ear.

"Guess you're not worth saving to her. Such a shame." Ferguson grinned in such a way it even made Envy uneasy.

"You think I don't have a backup plan? I'm better then that." Bringing his hand up, he pressed his palm in the homunculi's face. Alchemy sparked to life and and electric current shot from his hand and through Envy's body. He released his grip on the older alchemist and fell to his knees. By now Alphonse was free and back on his feet. Ferguson glanced back at Ed and pointed down to Envy at his feet. "Finish him off. As interesting as I find him, he's not as easy to manipulate as normal people." Before Ed could take another step, two armored hands came up behind him. Alphonse held him in place and he didn't seem to like it as he flailed back and forth.

"Brother, you need to stop this. I can't believe I'm saying this, but we shouldn't be fighting Envy." As much as Edward struggled, he didn't have the leverage to get out of Al's grasp. Ferguson moved away and grabbed Winry off the ground in one quick movement.

"Alphonse, I recommend you let your brother go. You wouldn't want anything happening to her do you?" Before Al could let go of Ed, Ferguson was kicked from behind. Winry pushed away from him and rushed over to Alphonse.

"So you're the reason for all of this I take it." Izumi cracked her knuckles as she stared the other alchemist down. "And what did you do to my student!" He flinched slightly but was not too intimidated. "Guess I'll have to take care of you myself."

"Teacher be careful, he can electrocute you if you're not careful." Al was having a difficult time holding Ed now. He was really determined to get to Envy before he got his second wind. The suit of armor caught Envy's eye. "I can't keep this up." Just as he said that, Ed struggled free and launched himself at the enemy before him. Envy moved out of the way just in time, letting out a growl. Winry turned back to see if Izumi needed any help. It was getting difficult to keep up with all the fighting going on around her. Ferguson had his back to her, rolling his sleeves back, revealing his metal wrist guards with transmutation circles scratched into them. It was as though he was trying to intimidate Izumi but she remained unconcerned. Winry quietly got behind him. preparing to hit him with her wrench. Just as she brought her arms up, his hand came back, hitting her forehead with the metal surrounding his wrist. She immediately dropped her weapon and slumped for the ground. Alphonse turned around and hurried over to her. As he brushed her hair out of her face, he realized she was out cold.

"She shouldn't have gotten involved." Ferguson shrugged it off only making Izumi angrier. Clapping her hands together, she pressed her palms to the ground. As the alchemy faded, she rose with a staff in her hand.

"I've had about enough of you." She charged at him, thrusting the blade forward. Bringing up his arms, Ferguson blocked each attack as he diverted the weapon away. As much as Alphonse knew he needed to help, he couldn't leave Winry. Carefully picking her up, he headed into the hallway and into one of the other rooms. Finding an old couch, he placed her on it along with her wrench. Even though he was reluctant to leave her, he had to go help his teacher. Just as he made it to the doorway, Ferguson broke through her staff and back handed her across the jaw. As she tried to clap again, he slammed his fist into her stomach, causing her to double over. Letting out a weak cough, blood dripped from her mouth. Her strength left her as she continued to gag.

"I'm really getting sick of all this talk and no actions to back it up." Ferguson stared down at her with interest in his eyes. "But then you don't have to use circles either and I find that very interesting." Before he could say anything else, he felt the presence of something large standing behind him. The presence of a normally quiet soul that had had enough of him. Dodging to the side, he missed Al's heavy arms coming down on him.

"Since you like hurting people so much, why don't you try to hurt me!" Al's voice came out in a yell that revealed he was worn out and angry at how those he cared for the most were just things for this man to play with. Alphonse clapped and touched the floor, causing it to shift under the mad alchemist. It had cause Envy and Ed to pause in their fight as well. Despite his efforts though, Ferguson managed to keep his balance. He let out a chuckle in response.

"Just because your in that armor, don't think that you're unbeatable." As he laughed more, he suddenly felt bump against his back. It pushed him forward before jerking him back. Glancing down, he noticed the blade that had pierced through him. Alphonse let out a gasp as the man before him turned to see Envy standing behind him, wicked grin in place.

"Gotcha." The homunculus had Ed by his right arm. When he cornered him, Envy quickly grabbed his automail and rammed it into Ferguson's back. Unable to comprehend anything else, his body fell forward, sliding off the blade.

A/N alright we got one final chapter to go folks. Now I've been pretty darn nice about updating so if you havent reviewed yet, please do. If you have reviewed you can anyway, I love to hear from everyone.


	15. Chapter 15

The air in the room felt heavier then usual. The only sound was that of the fire which was starting to die down a little. The suit of armor stared at the body on the floor at his feet. The silence shattered when Envy started laughing maniacally.

"Wow, that was great. He didn't even see if coming. Human life is so frail." Al's gaze shifted up. Envy had released Ed's arm but his brother was just standing there. He no longer tried to fight Envy but at the same time it was hard to tell if he was remorseful.

"Envy, why would you do that?" The homunculus gaped at him in shock. He then pointed dramatically at the floor.

"Hey I was doing all of us a favor. He was never going to leave you alone. Besides it wouldn't have come to this if he hadn't dragged me into this."

"That didn't mean you should have killed him! And what's worst is you used Brother's arm." Envy leaned forward with a faint grin.

"Please, I don't even think he knows what's going on." As he said this he leaned back on his heels to flick Edward in the head. The room felt even heavier to the empty suit of armor and he slid down to his knees.

"But now we don't know how to get Brother back to normal. Ferguson was the only one who could fix him. What are we suppose to do?" His tone was strained with emotion at the thought of Ed being stuck in this state. Envy shrugged back.

"Doesn't really matter to me. Who knows, he might live longer if he can't get into trouble."

"I..I thought you needed us though." Envy laughed and patted the armor on the helmet.

"We just need you alive." With that said, he stretched his arms over his head and headed for the window in the back of the room. Opening it, he stepped out onto the fire escape. "Well this has been fun, but I've gotta be running." Alphonse couldn't find the strength to go after him. Out in the distance, he could see the sun starting to peak over the hills. It was already morning. The room grew quiet again. He didn't know how long he sat there before a faint sound echoed off the walls.

"A...Al." His eyes shot up at his older brother. He hadn't moved but the dullness in his eyes seemed to lift, if only for a moment.

"Brother?" As quickly as the glimmer of hope had come, it was gone just as quickly. Ed swayed on his feet and his head dropped slightly. Alphonse noticed the blood that covered his metal arm and the front of his shirt. Now that he thought about it, he looked pretty dirty after being gone for so many days. Realizing that they couldn't stay here, Al got to his feet again. Heading over to his teacher, he noticed she had passed out as well. "I really can't carry her and Winry." As he glanced around the room, he noticed a white sheet covering a couch in the corner. Grabbing it, he placed it over Ferguson's body. Once he was finished with that, he picked Izumi up and headed to the room where he put Winry earlier. Edward just remained where he was.

oOoOo

Winry slowly opened her eyes, unsure of where she was. Turning on her side, she noticed Alphonse sitting on the floor. As she sat up he glanced over at her and was relieved to see her up.

"Winry, you're awake."

"Al? What happened?" The armor let out a vocal sigh and dropped his gaze again.

"Ferguson is dead. We don't have to worry about him coming after us anymore." There was definitely a hint of sadness in his tone.

"What about Ed?" She inched to the edge of the couch. Alphonse shook his head back at her.

"I don't know how to get him back. He's in the other room." Winry didn't say anything else but hurried out of the room. Apparently the Colonel had figured out where they went the night before. Several military personal walked past her in the hallway. She could only assume they were there for clean up or something. As she made it into the other room she caught sight of Mustang first. Hawkeye walked over to him to tell him something that was out of earshot. Finally she noticed Ed standing off to the side, still covered in blood.

"Ed..." She moved in his direction but Mustang put an arm up to stop her.

"You need to stay back." His dark eyes revealed his wasn't angry but more concerned. "We don't know what he might do."

"Isn't there anything you can do? He can't stay like that." Roy closed his eyes and shook his head quietly. Winry couldn't help but start to tear up. As she tried to get a hold on her emotions, her legs started to tremble and she could no longer stand. Silently she dropped to the floor, leaning forward on her arms.

"Colonel?" Mustang glanced up to see Alphonse in the doorway. He seemed somewhat hopeful that they would have some good news for him. The stern look on Roy's face made him realize otherwise. He came further into the room. "There has to be something we can do. Maybe there's another alchemist that would know how to fix Brother."

"Alphonse, I don't want you to..." the younger Elric brother cut Mustang off before he could finish his thought.

"No, I know what you're gonna say. But I know he's still in there. He spoke to me earlier." His gaze shifted to Riza, hoping she would at least believe him. "There has to be someone who can help us. I'll take care of him until we can find a way to get him back." It was obvious he wasn't thinking rationally but no one wanted to tell him otherwise. It became quiet again and the silence that fell only made the hopeless reality even harder to stomach. A door from down the hallway slammed against the wall drawing everyone's attention to the doorway again. Izumi came into view and didn't seem pleased at all. It was as though she had heard every word that was said but there was no way she could have. Finally after a couple of seconds of her just standing there with her fists clenched at her sides, she tilted her head to the side catching sight of Edward.

"There's that stupid student of mine." She cracked her knuckles as she stomped over to him. The Colonel wanted to stop her but was too shock to move. Bringing her fist forward, she punched him in the face, sending him flying into a nearby wall. "This _idiot_ had to go get himself kidnapped and then let them mess his head up! How irresponsible!" She rushed at him and picked him up by the collar. "If I have to beat some sense into you, then so be it!" She tossed him in the opposite direction and he hit another wall.

"Teacher, stop it! Please," Alphonse pleaded with her.

"Yeah, this isn't helping," Mustang added. Izumi glanced over at them both, arms crossed in front.

"Oh really, you think so?" Before anyone could argue with her Ed sat up, rubbing the back of his head.

"Ow, that really hurt." He let out a weak cough.

"Oh so now you want to complain about it. You're so ungrateful!" Edward ducked his head down and apologized profusely. The Colonel let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

"This is too much. Why do we keep getting involved with this kind of stuff?" The Lieutenant smiled quietly to herself.

"Teacher if you don't stop, you'll kill him," Al warned her as she shook Ed back and forth. Izumi paused, realizing she had made her point.

"So are you all coming back to my house before you leave? It's been a really long night."

oOoOo

The walk home seemed awfully quiet as they walked back to the Curtis residence. Of course Alphonse just decided everyone was just tired. When they got back, Ed went to clean himself up while Izumi fixed lunch for everyone. Before long, it was already evening again. Colonel Mustang was on the phone with the local military office for what seemed like several hours. He had to make sure they knew to keep a look out for Madison Ferguson. Although he didn't think she was that much of a threat now, it didn't mean she wouldn't try anything. Alphonse realized that he hadn't seen Ed since lunch and wondered upstairs to find him sitting by the window. His right arm was missing, as Winry was busy cleaning it in her room.

"Brother, are you all right?" Ed turned to his younger brother with a somber look on his face. He let out a soft sigh before answering.

"I should be fine." Silently he brought his legs up to his chest, leaning his chin on his knees. "Just a lot happened, that's all." Alphonse walked over and took a seat across from him.

"I know. I'm just glad I found you and that teacher was able to knock some sense into you." He couldn't help but laugh a little at his older brother's expense. Edward rubbed his sore jaw. It wasn't just his teacher that had he was sore from. Envy didn't exactly pull his punches or avoid the face. Bringing his arm around his legs he leaned forward again.

"Al,...do you think I killed Ferguson?"

"Of course not. It was Envy." Al was shocked he would even bring it up.

"Yeah but I feel like I let him use me. I just don't ever want to feel like that again."

"I know." Ed shifted uncomfortably and wouldn't look Al in the eyes. Despite what he said, he still felt guilty about what happened to Ferguson. There was a light knock on the door and they both looked up to see Winry standing there with his arm.

"All set," Edward inquired, managing a feeble smile. The mechanic walked over, a frown plastered on her face. Part of her really wanted to be mad at him for how he treated her earlier. "Winry? You okay?" Letting out a huff she brought his arm off her shoulder and handed it to him.

"Yup, here you go." With that, she spun on her heel and left the room.

"I think she's still kind of mad about earlier," Alphonse explained. Edward made a face, gritting his teeth.

"Well we told her not to get involved. It's not my fault she couldn't just listen to us." Ed's exasperated comments caused Al to laugh for the first time in awhile.

"I'm sure she'll cool off eventually."

"Like I care," Edward grumbled back before forcing his arm into his port. He grimaced at the shock to his nerves. "And the least she could have done was do this herself. I hate putting it in myself!" Alphonse just shook his head in disbelief. For minute today he really doubted things would ever be like this again but sitting here with Ed made him feel so much better. Since everything had worked out, he didn't have to blame himself so much now.

~End~

A/N-I hoped you all liked it. Especially the ending. Please let me know and thanks for reading! :) Why all my chapters have to written at 1 in the morning I don't know why.


End file.
